Inside Darling (Darling #1) [complete]

Chapter Twenty-Nine

L O U E L L E  M I S S E D Ruby. As she combed her hair in preparation to give it an up-do, she wished she had someone to vent to. Someone who was able to keep her secrets.

Of course, she and Dane had been rekindling their friendship. He had become another confidant (or the only confidant in the absence of Ruby, that was); someone she was able to trust. However, after meeting with the queen, Dane, and Thatcher, she quickly learned anything she was to say to Dane would fall upon the queen's ears. She didn't blame Dane for including the queen on her thoughts and the issues she and the prince had. She only wished he would keep some things between just the two of them.

Ruby had always kept verbal exchanges between her and Louelle. She always could have gone to other servants and castle workers with what Louelle disclosed to her, but she trusted she didn't. Ruby was someone who had turned into a sister she always wanted. She often had given Louelle a shoulder to cry on, some encouraging words, and even sound advice - though it was not always taken by Louelle, if ever.

She wondered how Ruby had been since being forced to become Maryann's lady in waiting. The last time she saw Ruby was when she stopped King James from causing Ruby harm for something she never had done. And it was over a week ago, around the time when Dane returned to the castle.

It felt like a lifetime had passed with all of the drama she endured since then.

She could not imagine Maryann to be a nice lady to wait on. She was stuck up and pretentious, believing everything in the world should have been handed to her on a silver platter. Louelle promised Ruby she would have gotten her back after speaking with Thatcher. If only she would see Ruby around the castle to quickly inform her of the plan.

The poor servant was more than likely wondering when she'd hear the news from Louelle.

Thatcher said it would appear suspicious to grant Louelle that wish. She understood, but it still did not help her miss Ruby's company any less.

If only things were not so complicated. 

If only the arrangement would have never transpired. Without it, there would not have been any hurt or conspiring plans to ensure Louelle could live happily with her prince.

After securing the last pin in her hair, she stood and ambled over to her bed where a new dress was laid out. It was one of the dresses she was making for herself that had been placed on hold in order to fully focus on Queen Dione's harvest dinner dress. It was a cream cotton dress which once had a pale green lace around the waist.

It was something Louelle would have loved to wear if she did not care for how others thought of her. However, since it was determined earlier that day for Louelle to behave like a proper lady, she chose to remove the green lace from the dress. All that was left of it was the poofy shoulders which led to a tight long sleeve.

It was elegant looking and she decided she'd wear it to dinner. She wanted others to see her in a different light - as a lady who was able to be proper and tasteful. More importantly, she wished to show Thatcher (and she supposed Queen Dione and Dane also) she was trying her best for their sudden plan to work.